


More Than He Knew

by Emily_the_Almighty



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, and its a secret santa fic to boot, im sorry, this is just angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 13:38:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13742061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emily_the_Almighty/pseuds/Emily_the_Almighty
Summary: Taako cared for Angus more than he knew.





	More Than He Knew

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sariau](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sariau/gifts).



> Sariau I am immensely sorry that this is late. But it's here, and I'm not sure how good it is. I hope you enjoy it, regardless. Happy belated Candlenights!

“You want to do what?” Taako is looking at the young man in front of him. Well, by human standards. By elf standards he's still just a baby.

 

Angus had sprouted up over the years, standing level with Magnus for a number of them. Which made him taller than Taako (unless he was wearing heels). His sense of fashion hadn't changed much either, no matter how much the elf had tried to intervene. 

 

“I'm taking a short leave of absence, sir. The police in Rockport have contacted me for help on a high profile case.” 

 

On one hand, Taako could understand Angus needing to leave. The boy was still the “World’s Greatest Detective" and all that. But what about his classes? Not that he cared too much but Angus was honestly the most competent teacher in his entire school.

 

“I suppose I can pencil that in, Agnes. I'll let Ren take care of the rest, though.” He still knew fuck-all about paperwork. “But tell me more about this case. I want to know why you're being whisked away from me so suddenly.” Taako leaned forward in his chair, steepling his hands under his chin.

 

“Thank you, sir. But I don't know many of the details yet. They didn't want to disclose such sensitive information over a stone-call.” His eyes glimmered with unrestrained excitement. “All I know is that there's been a string of murders and they can't get a decent lead on anything.”

 

The information made a pit from in Taako’s stomach. For some reason, he was getting a bad feeling about this whole situation, but he chalked it up to the suddenness of it. No leads whatsoever? Even the dimmest of the police could get some semblance of a lead going. But nothing at all?

 

“That sounds right up your alley, kid.” Taako masked whatever worry may have shown in his face, and settled back. “But you should go get ready or something, you know, because they need you so bad?”

 

Angus rolled his eyes but nodded. He knew Taako's brand of affection hidden by indifference. He was used to it by now, and it was comforting in its own, weird way.

 

He was gone by the next day, taking the Rockport Limited again after all these years. Taako could almost scoff at the nostalgia the boy no doubt felt.

 

But, he kept his ears attuned to the fantasy news and fantasy radio more than usual. He just wanted updates on… whatever the hell they talked about on those those things. Definitely not waiting for anxious updates on the case that's been dubbed “the Midnight Murderer”.

 

One week turned into two.

 

Two weeks turned into a month.

 

Angus called every other night, if he remembered. Some nights the boy was just too busy, poring over information that was so scarce that it was hard to build anything off it.

 

But Taako didn't get hung up on these conversations, didn't wait anxiously for his stone to flash Angus’ frequency. Didn't breathe a quiet sigh of relief after the call ended. He didn't care that much.

 

Kravitz could only watch Taako pace around his office some days. The reaper knew he was worried, despite not wanting it to show. And though it felt like spying, because he wasn't like, in the room with him, he was trying to keep an eye on him.

 

*~*~*

 

A frequency Taako didn't recognize flashed on his Stone, and he stared at it for a moment before picking it up. Because this was his personal Stone, not one of his business ones. Not many people were privy to this frequency.

 

“Go for Taako.” He put on his professional façade, despite laying in bed and half asleep still.

 

The voice on the other end was professional in a different sort of way. Almost...clinical.

 

“This is Taako Lup, correct?” the voice continued on after an affirmative huff, “We have you listed as next of kin to Angus McDonald? He's currently in critical condition and has request--" The stone couldn't have been switched off fast enough before he's using it to call someone else.

 

Kravitz is in the bedroom within minutes, and Taako is immediately at his side. 

 

“Take me to Rockport, right now.” He probably looked crazy, wild-eyed and his glamour hastily applied. If Kravitz looked closely he could see the flyaway hairs that stuck out of his braid, the unmistakable wrinkles of slept in clothes. 

 

The reaper understood the urgency of the situation, despite not being told anything. He already knew. His scythe materialized into his hands and he was slashing a rift between planes. 

 

They couldn't get through fast enough. Taako was scrambling to get through, and when the rift opened up to a spacious room he stumbled a few steps.

 

The room was sterile and pristine, and the main focus was the bed in the back center. And the man who laid on it. 

 

Angus was unconscious in the bed. He was under a light blanket and and his glasses were on a small table to the side. His breathing was a little fast, if not a bit ragged, and his cheeks were flushed red.

 

Taako was by his side immediately. Kravitz wasn't used to seeing his husband so...stricken. He knew he cared about Angus but not to this extent.

 

A cleric happened to enter the room after a minute and the half elf was startled. She wasn't expecting people to be in here at the moment. Taako, however, whipped his head over to her.

 

“What is wrong with him and why haven't you fixed it yet?” His voice was quiet and collected, but the undertone was tense. 

 

She fiddled with the sleeve of her dress as she met his eyes. “He was poisoned with something we've never seen before. We don't know  _ how _ to heal him.” Her voice shook slightly, as this situation was distressing to her and the other clerics as well.

 

That pit in Taako’s stomach that appeared that first day dropped. It had to be poison. The one thing he was just as terrified of. He reached his hand down to brush some of Angus’ curls away from his forehead. They were sticky with sweat but they stuck where he moved them.

 

“He's been in and out of consciousness, and we've been giving him standard treatment for poison but,” she paused and her fidgeting got more fidgety. “Unless we find an absolute cure, we don't know how long he'll last.”

 

Taako shook his head. “Don't you fucking dare.” His voice trembled a little but he was determined to be strong. “Angus is a tough kid when he wants to be. It'll take a lot more than some shitty poison to take him out.” The cleric squeaked out a quiet apology before leaving the room once again. Then it was just the three of them again.

 

“Taako, you can’t drive the clerics away, they're trying to help him.” Kravitz was hesitant to approach the bedside, so he settled a foot or so behind Taako. He was fighting a losing battle though, he knew what Taako could get like.

 

“I'm not, it's not my fault she couldn't handle the truth. I didn't even say anything bad!” His voice rose a little and Angus let out a quiet whimper. Taako turned and hushed him quietly, petting through his hair again.

 

“Just stay out of their way, okay darling? I have to go, I'm being summoned. I'll try to come when I can.” Kravitz sighed. He stepped forward to press a gentle kiss to the top of Taako’s head before turning around to open another rift.

 

*~*~*

 

Kravitz never really got the opportunity to visit. He got sidetracked with work, but he kept tabs on Angus’ situation. And what he was witnessing wasn't ideal. 

 

Angus was quickly approaching his...end and Kravitz knew what that meant. He didn't want this to be the way it happened, but death was a part of the natural order, and he had a job to do.

 

*~*~*

 

The few times Angus came around over the next couple of days he was delirious. He knew who he was was, and who Taako was, but he could barely articulate what had happened to him. It broke Taako’s heart to hear him so  _ confused. _

 

Everytime a cleric came in(Taako didn't notice that is was never the half elf again) he stayed glued to Angus’ side. They would murmur quiet spells over him, swipe a wet cloth over his forehead, and help him sip some water when he was half conscious.

 

Over the course of three days, he managed to get the whole story out of Angus. Or at least, what he assumed was the whole story. The asshole Angus was tracking down finally slipped up and they got a big lead. Or that's what they thought, because when Angus went to apprehend him there was nothing. It was a rouse. 

 

Angus had gone back to his hotel to pour over his notes and everything again. And as soon as he sipped some tea he was down for the count(“I...think he broke into my room and poisoned my teabags...I liked that tea…” he looked so sad at the realization. Taako had gotten him that type of tea as a gift.).

 

His condition was starting to worsen, though. As loathe as he was to admit it, Angus was getting worse. His breathing was getting harder to maintain and he was constantly shaking under the covers. He had layered two more blankets on top of his cold boy, but his forehead was still fire hot to the touch.

 

On the fourth night, it was late when Angus cracked his eyes open again. “Taako?” His voice was barely louder than a whisper, and it cracked on the second syllable of his name.

 

“Hush, bubbula. You should keep resting.” Taako looked down at him with soft eyes. Angus looked so tired, had bags under his dark brown eyes, and a near permanent furrow in his brow. The elf brushed a hand over his cheek and the human gave a small smile.

 

“I'm tired, dad.” He whispered again, his eyes seeming to wander again before settling back on Taako. And the back of his eyes were starting to burn with tears. This wasn't the first time the boy had called him that, and Taako usually teased him when he did (despite being endeared by the term), but this felt different. 

 

It felt final.

 

“Go back to sleep, Ango. When you wake up I'll make you something sweet to snack on. Maybe some of those cinnamon treats you like.” Taako had moved to petting his hair, and Angus’ expression relaxed as he slipped back into unconsciousness. 

 

It was an hour later when he noticed Angus’ breathing had slowed tremendously, and his chest stopped moving. His alarm worsened when he heard a rift tear in the room again. His head whipped back to see Kravitz enter the room with a somber expression.

 

“Don't you dare,” His words parroting what he told the cleric girl on the first night. “If you come any closer I swear to Istus you will regret it.” Taako feels just as frazzled and wild as when he got the stone-call. 

 

Kravitz put his hands up slowly, regret in his eyes. “Taako, hon. You know I have to do this.” His eyes flickered behind the elf to Angus, and his time was nearly up. Taako is shaking his head, looking between the two of them quickly.

 

“Krav please,” and it pains him to hear the tightness in his voice, the desperation. “Don't take him away, I didn't have enough time with him.” His eyes are burning again.

 

If his heart could break, Kravitz’s would. He knew Taako cared for Angus, but not to what extent. And he shook his head.

 

“Love, I have to. I'll guide him to safety, and you'll see him again.” He took a few cautious steps closer, and Taako’s hands shook but didn't move to cast anything. He knew, and it hurt. But he didn't like it.

 

So he turned and leant over Angus. He cried silently as he placed a kiss on his forehead. “Love you, bubbula. Next time I see you, I'm gonna magic missile you so hard you won't even know what hit you.” He's laughing between sniffles, and after a minute he leans back up.

 

“Do it now before I try to stop you again.” His voice is stiff as he picks up his chair and moves it so he doesn't look at the scene anymore. Kravitz watches as he sits with his back to him, then his eyes meet Angus’. His spectral form is a bit younger than his physical form, he's twelve again. And his expression is a strange mixture devastated and acceptance.

 

Kravitz offers his hand, and Angus takes it. The boy looks over at Taako, and smiles sadly. “I love you too, dad.” And through the rift they go, and it closes behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> Well thank you for reading! Yell at me on tumblr @ the same name and,,,this is horribly unbetaed I hope you can look past that.


End file.
